3-Hydroxypropionate [3-HP] is a platform chemical, acting as precursor for production of polymer materials and as chemical feedstock. Poly(3-hydroxypropionicacid) [P(3-HP)] is a biodegradable polymer with promising characteristics such as unusual high heat stability.
3-HP can be used to derive a number of valuable industrial chemicals including: acrylic acid which is used in the manufacture of paint, paper, adhesives, textiles, specialty coatings, ink, and superabsorbent polymer polyacrylates; 1,3-propanediol which is of use as a solvent, adhesive, cosmetic, or to make polytrimethylene terephthalate used in carpet and textiles; 3-hydroxypropinaldehyde which is used in the preparation of foods, as a feed additive, and as a preservative in the nutritional industry.
3-HP is listed as third most important renewable chemical by the US department of energy and a global market opening for 3-HP has been estimated to be 3.63 million tons per year (Paster et al, 2003, US DOE report: 48-49).
It is an object of the invention to provide recombinant microorganisms and a method for the production of 3-HP by microbial fermentation which may provide one or more advantages over known methods, or to at least to provide the public with a useful choice.